1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel burner system and, in particular, to such a system having burner apparatus supplied with fuel under the control of a thermostatic control device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional gaseous fuel burner systems embodying thermostatic controls are well known in the prior art as illustrated in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,121,977; 2,509,679; 2,513,705; 3,138,194; and 3,314,604. Such prior art demonstrates that a conventional fuel burner system utilizes a plurality of burners, each having a separate feed conduit from the control device which has a thermostatic mechanism, a manual on-off mechanism and a safety shut-off mechanism.
The prior art is also cognizant of the general arrangement of operating structures combined into a unitary device; e.g. U.S. Patents Nos. 2,953,937; 3,433,409; 3,467,119; 3,489,350; and 3,513,873. Furthermore, such unitary control devices have been provided with various mechanisms for varying the rate of fuel flow to burner apparatus in accordance with variations in demand sensed by thermostatic means; illustrations of such devices are found in U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,159,346; 3,338,264; 3,369,562; 3,441,049; and 3,486,732. Each of the patents listed above in this paragraph demonstrates that a conventional unitary control device with a combination of operating structures provides at least two outlet flow ports separately supplying the burner apparatus whereby a standby flame is maintained when the thermostatic mechanism prevents fuel flow for a main flame.
U.S. Pats. Nos. 1,763,295; 2,155,339; 2,220,247; 2,474,547; 2,531,316; 2,840,152; 3,164,200; 3,405,999; and No. 3,516,773 are representative of the prior art with respect to various types of burner apparatus wherein a main flame is ignited by means of a standby or pilot flame. These prior art patents illustrate the conventional nature of plural feeds to establish plural flame patterns and the use of a flame responsive thermocouple which is responsive to only a single flame pattern.